Guide to Alabama Marriage Records

Alabama marriage records document legally recognized marriages in the state and generally include information such as both spouses’ names, the date of the wedding, the county of marriage, and the document number assigned when the record was filed. However, the exact contents of the marriage vary depending on when it took place, as Alabama has altered its marriage procedures since 2019.

Since August 29, 2019, the state of Alabama has stopped issuing marriage licenses. Instead, couples are required to complete and notarize a marriage certificate and submit it to any Alabama probate court within 30 days of the parties' signing. If the certificate has been recorded properly, it becomes the legal record of the marriage.

For marriages that occurred before the change, the marriage license was the first document issued by the probate court authorizing the marriage, while the marriage certificate served as proof that the marriage took place. The term “marriage record” includes the certificate, an old license, a probate court record, or the record of marriage kept by the Alabama Health Center for Health Statistics.

Marriage records are usually required to verify marital status, process name changes, support genealogy research, and document marriages in divorce and inheritance cases.

Types of Marriage Records in Alabama

Marriage records in the Yellowhammer State include the following:

Marriage Certificates

Under Alabama's current system, a marriage certificate is both the document signed for before a couple can legally marry and the completed document recorded after the marriage.

An Alabama marriage certificate includes the full names of the couple, their maiden names, dates of birth, residential information, number of previous marriages, birthplace, parent information, signatures, and recording details with the probate court.

A certified copy of an Alabama marriage certificate is required when an agency, employer, court, or other organization needs legal proof of marriage.

The Alabama Center for Health Statistics at the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) issues certified copies of statewide marriages from August 1936 to the present. Certified copies can also be obtained from the county health departments in Alabama.

Marriage Licenses

Alabama no longer issues marriage licenses, as the state law requiring couples to obtain them was abolished in August 2019. Before this period, couples intending to marry were required to obtain a marriage license from the probate court.

Today, couples use the Alabama Marriage Certificate. They complete, sign, notarize, and record the certificate rather than applying for a license.

Are Marriage Records Public in Alabama?

Yes, marriage certificates in Alabama are public documents. The Alabama Department of Public Health explains that anyone can request this record by providing sufficient information to locate it and paying the applicable fee.

There are generally no restrictions based on the record's age. However, older historical marriage records may need to be sourced from individual county probate offices rather than the centralized state system.

What Information Is Included in a Marriage Record?

A recent Alabama marriage record may include the following:

• Full names of both spouses
• Last names before the first marriage, if applicable
• Dates of birth
• County and state of residence
• Number of previous marriages
• Reason a previous marriage ended
• State or foreign country of birth
• Parent names
• Spouses' signatures and signature dates
• Notary information
• The county where the certificate was recorded
• Probate court book, page, or instrument number

Note that older records created under the former license system may contain officiant and ceremony information. While the marriage application collects Social Security numbers and current contact information, the ADPH expressly states that this information is not publicly available on certified copies.

How to Find Marriage Records in Alabama

Step 1: Identify the Marriage Details

Start by obtaining the full names of both spouses and, if applicable, the names they used before their first marriages. You will also need the approximate date of marriage in addition to the county associated with the marriage. This helps the ADPH to narrow the search for a precise result.

Step 2: Find the Record Custodian

For marriage records from August 1936 to the present, the main state custodian is the Alabama Department of Public Health, Center for Health Statistics.

For marriage records before August 1936, contact the probate office in the county where the marriage license was obtained. Historical records may also be available through the Alabama Department of Archives and History.

Step 3: Choose How to Search

You can request certified marriage certificates by mail, in person, or online. Mail requests should be sent to the Center for Health Statistics, while in-person requests can be made at the county health department. Online and telephone requests are available through the designated third-party vendor, VitalChek.

If you need to look up older records, check county probate records and archives. For example, Mobile County offers a probate index for marriage records from 1813 to the present.

Step 4: Submit a Record Request

A complete application for an Alabama marriage record generally contains the names of spouses at the time of their first marriage, the date and the location of marriage. It also includes the name, signature, mailing address, and telephone number of the person requesting the document.

The standard fee for a marriage record search in the state is $15, which includes the first certified copy of the record. Additional copies of the same record ordered at the same time cost $6 each, and expedited service adds $15.

Since marriage certificates are unrestricted, the ID requirements established by the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) do not apply to these requests.

Most certificates requested in person can be issued while the requester waits. ADPH county offices also state that mailed requests generally take about 7-10 days.

How to Get a Certified Marriage Certificate in Alabama

Certified copies of an Alabama marriage certificate are accessible to any applicant who provides the required information and fee. Applications can be submitted in person at any county health department, mailed to the Center for Health Statistics, or ordered online through VitalChek.

Typically, applicants are required to complete an application with the following information:

• Full names before the first marriage of both spouses
• Date of marriage
• The county where the marriage license was issued
• Applicant's name
• Applicant's signature
• The address where the certificate is to be mailed
• Applicant's daytime phone number

Photo identification documents are not generally required to obtain a marriage certificate. The fee to search and a first certified copy is $15, or a Certificate of Failure to Find if no record is located. Additional copies may be ordered at the same time as the first initial search for a $6 fee. However, expedited processing costs an additional $15.

In-person requests at the county offices are typically processed the same day, but mailed requests take 7 to 10 days. The processing time for online requests depends on the service and shipping option selected.

Note that certified copies of marriage certificates can be used as official proof of marriage for name changes, identification matters, estates, court proceedings, and other transactions requiring documented marital status.

How to Get a Marriage License in Alabama

Marriage licenses are no longer issued in Alabama. Since August 29, 2019, couples have been marrying in the state by completing and recording an Alabama marriage certificate. This certificate may be recorded with any county probate court in the state. Per state law, couples may use any probate court in the state.

Couples must complete the certificate and provide a notarized affidavit stating that they are:

• Not currently married
• At least 18, or 16 or 17 with parental or guardian consent
• Legally competent to marry
• Not related to the other party within a prohibited relationship
• Entering the marriage voluntarily

No residency requirements are stipulated for couples to complete and record an Alabama marriage certificate. Therefore, a resident of another state or county may marry in Alabama, provided the state's eligibility requirements are satisfied.

Note that probate courts charge a recording fee. Under ADPH rules, this amount may vary from one county to another. Ala. Code § 12-19-90(b)(32) allows the probate judge to collect a recording fee, while Ala. Code § 30-6-11 also allows the judge to collect an additional fee to support domestic violence programs.

Typically, the total fee ranges from $73 to $93. For example, Mobile County charges $73, Talladega County charges $79, while Coffee County charges $93. Most probate offices do not accept personal checks. Cash, money orders, or credit or debit cards are generally the required payment options. Notarized marriage certificates must be submitted to the probate court within 30 days of the later spouse's signature.

Wedding ceremonies are not mandatory for couples in Alabama. While a couple may hold a religious or civil ceremony, if desired, it does not affect the validity of the marriage under state law. A marriage becomes valid once the completed, notarized document is recorded with the probate judge.

Who Can Request Marriage Records?

No special family relationship or legal authorization is required to request a certified marriage certificate. Hence, marriage records in Alabama may be requested by:

• Either spouse
• Immediate family members
• Authorized representatives
• Government agencies
• Attorneys
• Genealogists
• Researchers
• Unrelated third parties

Free and Online Marriage Record Searches

You can find basic marriage record details, such as whether a marriage occurred, the spouses' names, and the date of marriage, on county probate court websites or in index systems. This is because many probate offices in the state maintain searchable online indexes of recorded marriages and allow the public to search for free. Furthermore, genealogical platforms such as FamilySearch and the Alabama Department of Archives and History also provide free access to historical Alabama marriage indexes and images.

However, if you need a marriage record for a legal purpose, such as a name change, a benefits application, or a court filing, you must pay for a certified copy of the record.

It is possible to search these free online databases even when the county and date of a marriage are unknown. In such situations, start by searching statewide genealogy indexes using the spouse's name. Then, narrow the search using any known details, such as the couple’s county of residence at the time. Nearby life events, such as a birth record, can also help estimate the year of marriage.

Common Law Marriage in Alabama

Alabama has prohibited the creation of new common-law marriages. As of January 1, 2017, common-law marriages could no longer be formed in the state. However, if a couple had a valid common-law marriage in Alabama before that date, the marriage remains valid.

Still, Alabama recognizes valid common-law marriages formed in other states that have not abolished the practice, in accordance with principles of interstate marriage recognition.

Since common law marriages do not have an official certificate, they usually must be established through other evidence. This may include joint tax filings, shared leases, or a court determination. There is typically no marriage document filed with the Center for Health Statistics or a probate court.

How to Correct an Error on a Marriage Record

Alabama marriage records contain errors like misspelled names, inaccurate dates, or transcription errors made during filing. To correct these errors, Ala. Code §§ 30-1-16 and 30-1-17 mandate that amendment applications be filed with the probate court that issued the marriage license or recorded the marriage certificate, rather than with the Center for Health Statistics.

Typically, applicants who request a correction to a marriage record are usually one of the married partners. However, their legal representative may act on their behalf under authorization.

To request a correction of a marriage record, applicants must first complete a form (Amendment to Alabama Marriage Certificate and Decree of Correction). This form can be obtained from an Alabama county probate court. It must be completed, signed, and notarized by both spouses and presented to the appropriate probate court for filing.

Be aware that another recording fee must be paid to the court at the time of filing. The fees for the correction may differ across various counties. Hence, applicants should check with the relevant office about the current charges and fees.

Once the probate court approves the correction, a copy of the document is forwarded to the Center for Health Statistics.

Note that additional documentation may be required to prove and correct the error on the marriage record. Documentation usually required includes a birth certificate or a government-issued ID.

Marriage Records and Name Changes

In Alabama, a certified marriage certificate serves as proof of a name change after marriage. Various government entities require this copy of a marriage certificate to update names on their records. For example, the U.S. Department of State requires this copy to verify a marital relationship for immigration, visas, and international travel documents.

Also, the Social Security Administration (SSA) typically requires proof of marriage to legally change a last name on a Social Security card after a wedding. Moreover, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) requires a certified marriage certificate to legally update a driver's license or state identification card to reflect a name change.

Note that there is a difference between changing an individual’s name with the SSA, ALEA, or Department of State and correcting an error on a marriage record. A marriage record amendment can be used to correct incorrect information on a marriage certificate, but it is not required when a spouse later changes their name.

Marriage Records for Genealogy and Family History

Genealogists or researchers looking to trace family histories in Alabama typically use the state's marriage records to establish relationships. Alabama marriage records can help researchers establish spouses, dates, counties, family relationships, residence information, and prior names.

Historical marriage records can be obtained from several sources. For example, the state's Center for Health Statistics maintains statewide marriage certificates dating back to August 1936. Earlier marriage information may be obtained through the probate office in the county where the marriage license was issued.

The Alabama Department of Archives and History also maintains county records for Alabama counties. While the dates and amount of material held in the archives vary by county, some records predate Alabama statehood in 1819. Genealogical databases like FamilySearch also host older Alabama marriage records.

Researchers can search for available marriage records using spouses' names, counties, and approximate dates of marriage. If a local index is available, it can help narrow the search before ordering a certified marriage record.

Older records may be incomplete or not transferred to the state. They may also exist only in probate court books or archival microfilm. County courthouse losses and differences in local recordkeeping may also impact historical coverage.

Frequently Asked Questions